Welcome to take this 5 days Lijiang and Dali trip. Upon arrival, you will be picked up by your guide and driver outside the Arrival Hall of Lijiang Airport and then be transferred to the well selected boutique hotel in Lijiang Old Town. Your guide will help you check at to the hotel and you can take a short break.

Afterwards, your guide will accompany you to explore the town. You will visit the time-honored residential compounds, soak in the romantic culture in the famous bar street, and hunt for local snacks in Sifang Street.

Meals: Lunch

Today, we will head for a real natural stunner of Lijiang, the gorgeous Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The ever snow-caped mountain is regarded as a holy place for the Naxi people. Upon arrival, we will first take a fascinating trekking from Ganhaizi Meadow to the White Water River, and then take a cable car to the Spruce Plateau (Yun Shan Ping). The journey on the cable car will provide you a good chance to appreciate the scenery from different altitudes and perspectives. After getting off the cable car, you could capture the most stunning view of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain from a distance on the plateau.

After a hearty lunch, your private Lijiang tour will continue to the Baisha Village, which used to be the earliest residential area for the Nanxi people. The Baisha Village is famed for the delicate Baisha Murals in temples, which portray the religious figures of Buddhism, Taoism and Lamaism. Then a special family visit will be arranged for you to learn about the Naxi people's life. After that, you will be transferred back to Lijiang.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast today, we will drive to Shaxi Ancient Town in about 2.5 hours. Located between Lijiang and Dali, Shaxi used to be a booming bazaar along the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. Most of the primitive dwelling complex is well preserved, including temples, opera stages, stone bridges, shops, inns and tea houses. Though the town may convey a sense of vicissitudes, you can still trace its flourishing and prosperous past.

Today's lunch will be served at a very popular local restaurant. At night, your guide will help you check into the Landscape Hotel Shaxi, which retains the residence style of the Bai ethnic minority.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Before leaving for Dali, we will seize the morning to pay a visit to the Shizhongshan Grottoes in Jianchuan. As the earliest and largest grottoes cluster in Yunnan, it boasts numerous exquisite engravings that depict historical stories of the Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms.

In the afternoon, we will move on to Xizhou Town where the best preserved old residences of the Bai minority nestle. Roaming along the narrow alleys will help you immerse into their featured architectural culture. Then your trip will continue to Zhoucheng, the hometown of Tie-dyeing (Zaran) art of the Bai people. This dyeing is a technology of printing flower patterns on cloth, and you will get a valuable chance to witness its making process.

Upon arrival in Dali Ancient City, you will check into the handpicked hotel. You can either make use of the rest of the day to explore the ancient city further, or just have a good rest at your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Lying between Mt. Cangshan and Erhai Lake, the Three Pagodas Scenic Area is one of the most renowned essential landscapes of Dali, which is also viewed as one of China's best-kept ancient Buddhist structures. You will take a relaxing walk with the company of your guide to totally refresh yourself there. Then we will come to the Erhai Lake. Taking a boat cruise is always the best way to tour the fascinating Erhai Lake. Soaked up in the gentle breeze, all the troubles seem to go away. If time permits, you may land on the islets in the lake for an in-depth exploration.

At last, your considerate guide and driver will escort you to Dali Airport for your onward flight. Hope you have enjoyed this Lijiang and Dali tour. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch